Package for an object and an assembly including such a package

ABSTRACT

A package for an object such as a preferably-sterile medical component, includes: a support element provided with elements for coupling the object; a stopper that can be coupled to the support element in such a manner as to define a first chamber for containing the object, and such that a grip portion of the support element projects from the stopper; and a cover that can be coupled to the stopper in such a manner as to define a second chamber inside which the grip portion of the support element extends, and such that a portion of the stopper coupled to the support element projects from the cover.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/583,801, filed on Sep. 10, 2012, which is a National Phaseof PCT/FR2011/050943, filed on Apr. 22, 2001 which claims priority to FR10 53191 filed on Apr. 27, 2010, the entirety of which are incorporatedby reference.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to packages for objects, inparticular for medical components that are preferably sterilized.

Description of Related Art

In the prior art, packages are known that are in the form of plasticblister shells or bags in which an object is contained. For medicalcomponents that must be unpackaged in near-aseptic conditions, suchpackages pose problems of contamination while the package is beingpassed from one person to another and while said package is beingopened. Specifically, from its departure from a “dirty” work zone, i.e.without special aseptic conditions, to its arrival in a “clean” workzone, i.e. a work zone in which given aseptic conditions are maintained,e.g. the zone of an operating block, the package that arrives in theclean zone is contaminated on the outside, and this presents a risk ofthe medical object being contaminated while it is being removed fromsaid package.

In order to limit the risk of contamination, it is known to open the bagin such a manner as to cause the object to fall onto a worktop withoutany need to touch said object. Only a sterile assistant or surgeon picksup the object. However, a solid object runs the risk not only of beingdamaged on impact with the worktop, or even of rolling onto the floor,but also of being contaminated by foreign bodies present on the worktop.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,800 describes a medical package for adental implant that includes a support element provided with fastenermeans for fastening the implant, and a stopper that can be coupled tothe support element in such a manner that the support element projectsfrom said stopper. Said package also includes a cover that covers thestopper. However, the cover completely covers the length of the stoppersuch that the operator has no option other than to empty the content ofthe cover by causing said content to fall onto a worktop. As mentionedabove, causing the implant to fall may damage it and increases the riskof contamination.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is to propose a package for packagingand unpackaging an object, which package makes it possible to limit therisks of contamination of the object, while making it possible tounpackage the object without having to let get of it or touch itdirectly.

To this end, the invention provides a package for an object such as apreferably-sterilized medical component, said package beingcharacterized in that it comprises:

-   -   a support element provided with means for coupling said object        to said support element;    -   a first hollow protective element, referred to as a stopper,        that can be coupled to the support element of said object,        preferably by interfitting with partial overlap, such that the        support element presents a portion, referred to as a “grip        portion”, that projects from said stopper;    -   said support element, alone or in co-operation with the stopper,        defining a first chamber containing said object; and    -   a second hollow protective element, referred to as a cover;    -   said package being further characterized in that said cover can        be coupled to the stopper, preferably by interfitting with        partial overlap, so as to co-operate with said stopper to define        a second chamber inside which said grip portion of the support        element extends; and    -   in that, while the cover is coupled to the stopper, a portion,        referred to as a “grip portion”, of the stopper projects from        the cover.

By means of the grip portions of each of the protective elements and ofthe support element, which support element projects from the protectiveelement to which it is coupled, the chambers defined by interfittingsaid elements, with partial overlap, can be opened until the object canbe accessed, without ever letting go of or touching said object, andwith a reduced risk of the object being contaminated.

Specifically, while the package is being passed from a first operator toa second operator, the protective cover may be removed in such a manneras to open the first chamber so as to uncover the grip end of thesupport element of the object and retain, for the second operator, onlythe sub-assembly formed of the stopper and of the support element.

Since the second operator holds said sub-assembly by the end of thestopper remote from the support element, the end of the support elementuncovered by opening the first chamber is clean and may be offered tothe last operator, e.g. the surgeon. The last operator is the operatorwho takes hold of the object by means of an instrument in order to useit.

Naturally, the first operator and the second operator may be a singleoperator who removes the cover from the stopper by taking hold of thecover with one hand and the stopper with the other, so as to uncover thesupport element.

The stopper and the support element may thus be separated in such amanner as to open the chamber containing the object that remains coupledto the support element held by the last operator. The last operator whothus retains only the support element to which the object is coupled canuse the clean hand that holds the grip end of the support element todeactivate the coupler means, and can use the other hand, which is alsoclean, to take hold of the object, e.g. by means of an instrument.

Such a design of the package of the invention makes it possible to makea package with a small number of parts, mainly three, so that while thepackage is being passed from a dirty zone to a clean zone via variouspeople, neither the support element nor the object are touched by aperson in the dirty zone, and the object coupled to the support elementis never let go. The risk of contamination is thus very greatly reduced.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, thestopper and the cover are each formed by a respective elongate hollowbody that is open at one end and closed at the other end.

The elongate nature of the object-protecting elements formed by thecover and the stopper, makes it possible to benefit from a safetydistance while the chambers are being opened and the various portions ofthe package are being passed from one person to another. Specifically,two people may take hold of the outside of the package formed by thestopper and the cover, or of the sub-assembly of the package formed bythe stopper and the support element, each holding a respective oppositeend, thereby reducing the risk of contamination.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the meansfor coupling the object to the support element comprise a deformablebody, referred to as a valve, presenting an orifice, preferably of ovalshape, that is capable of passing, by deformation of said body, from a“retaining” configuration in which said orifice of the valve presents ashape and/or dimensions making it possible to clamp the object, to a“releasing” configuration in which said orifice presents a shape and/ordimensions making it possible to release said object relative to saidorifice of the valve.

In another particular embodiment of the coupler means, of the type forwhich said object presents an elongate body, said means for coupling theobject to the support element include a deformable elongate body,referred to as a mandrel, along and inside which an orifice is formedfor inserting the object. Said means also include a bellows thatsurrounds the mandrel and that is capable of passing from a deployedposition of the folds of the bellows, in which said bellows bearsagainst the mandrel in such a manner as to clamp the insertion orificearound the object, to a compressed position of said folds of thebellows, in which the bellows does not press against the mandrel so asto enable the object to move relative to said insertion orifice forinserting the mandrel.

Preferably, said support element includes at least two arms that arespaced apart from each other and that extend on either side and alongthe assembly formed of the mandrel and of the bellows.

In another particular embodiment of the coupler means, the means forcoupling the object to the support element present a configuration forholding the object captive in a given orientation of said object, and aconfiguration for releasing said object by pivoting it.

In another particular embodiment of the coupler means, the supportelement and the means for coupling the object to the support element areconfigured to hold the object suspended through said coupler means, insuch a manner as to make it possible to see the length of said objectwhile said object is coupled to the support element.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, saidsupport and protective elements of the package are interfitted, withpartial overlap, by friction and/or by screw-fastening.

In a particular embodiment of said package for which said supportelement alone defines said first chamber containing said object, andsaid support element is formed of at least two parts that can be coupledand uncoupled relative to each other, preferably by interfitting withpartial overlap, so as to form said first chamber containing saidobject.

In another particular embodiment of said package for which said supportelement co-operates with the stopper to define said first chambercontaining said object, said support element defines an open cavity thatis to be closed by the stopper.

Preferably, said stopper, and possibly the cover, present(s) at leastone predefined location for positioning at least one finger of a person.

Advantageously, the support element and/or the stopper and/or the coverpresent(s) a portion, preferably formed by a membrane, that isimpermeable to bacteria but permeable to gas so as to enable said firstchamber and/or said second chamber to be sterilized with gas.

The invention also relates to a method of unpackaging apreferably-sterilized medical object contained in a package as describedabove, said method being characterized in that it comprises thefollowing steps:

-   -   a) a first person separating the cover from the stopper in such        a manner as to uncover the support element;    -   b) a second person distinct from said first person taking hold        of the support element; and    -   c) separating said support element from the stopper while the        stopper is being held by the first person.

Naturally, provision may be made for the cover and the stopper to beseparated by two different people in a dirty zone, instead of by asingle person, with one holding one end of the stopper and the otherholding one end of the cover.

Advantageously, said method comprises the following additional steps:

-   -   d) optionally putting said support element that closes the        object on standby in a standby zone, while said object is        waiting to be used; and    -   e) opening the first chamber defined by said support element in        order to remove said object.

The invention also relates to an assembly comprising an object such as apreferably-sterilized medical component and a package as described abovecontaining said object coupled to said support element.

Preferably, said object presents an end for gripping, e.g. by aninstrument, said object being coupled to the support element in such amanner that its grip end is free and points away from the grip portion.of the support element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be well understood on reading the followingdescription of embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a package of the invention in accordance with afirst embodiment, inside which a medical component is packaged;

FIG. 1A is a view of the FIG. 1 package during a first step ofunpackaging in which the cover is removed, remaining in the hand of afirst operator in a “dirty” zone, and the remaining sub-assembly formedof the stopper and of the component support is held at its stopper endby the hand of a second operator in the “dirty” zone;

FIG. 1B is a view of the sub-assembly of the FIG. 1A package during asecond step of unpackaging in which the stopper is removed, remaining inthe hand of the second operator in the “dirty” zone, and the componentsupport is held at its end remote from the medical component by the handof a third operator in a clean zone;

FIG. 1C is a view of the support element of the FIG. 1B package during athird step of unpackaging in which the third operator, who is holdingthe support element in one hand, uses the other hand to take hold of themedical component by means of a tool, so as to remove it from thesupport element, while deactivating the coupler means for coupling themedical component to the support element;

FIG. 2 is a section view of the support element in a second embodimentof the package in which the coupler means for coupling the medicalcomponent to the support element are formed by a mandrel surrounded by abellows;

FIG. 3 is a section view of the support element in a third embodiment ofthe package in which the coupler means for coupling the medicalcomponent to the support element are formed by a valve-type deformableelement having an orifice that is configured so as to clamp onto themedical component that passes therethrough, thereby coupling it to thesupport element, and so as to release said component when said valve isdeformed; and

FIG. 4 is a section view of the support element in a fourth embodimentof the package in which the coupler means for coupling the medicalcomponent to the support element are formed by an element presenting ahousing that is suitable for holding the component in a givenorientation and for enabling it to be released by turning or tilting,thereby disengaging said component sideways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The term “dirty” or “contaminated” is used of a person working innon-acepticized conditions, who might contaminate, by hand, any objecttouched. Conversely, the term “clean” is used of a person working inconditions that are sufficiently aseptic.

With reference to the figures and as mentioned above, the inventionprovides a package 1 for an object, such as a medical component, for thepurpose of preserving the sterile nature of the object, and in order toenable the object to be unpackaged in aseptic or near-asepticconditions. In the embodiment shown in the figures, said object is ascrew for surgery of the cervical spine or a screw for surgery of thelumbar spine, but the invention also applies to other types of object,in particular to other types of implant.

Said package includes a support element 2 provided with means 21; 22,23; 24, 25; 26 for coupling said object 5 to said support element 2, anda first hollow protective element 3, referred to as a stopper, that canbe coupled to the support element 2 of said object 5, by interfittingwith partial overlap.

While the stopper 3 is coupled to the support element 2, said supportelement 2 and the stopper 3 define between them a first chamber 7containing said object 5. Furthermore, the stopper 3 covers the supportelement 2 in part, such that the free end portion 20, referred to as the“grip end”, of the support element 2 projects from said stopper 3 sothat said free end portion 20 forms a grip zone.

When it is stated that the support element 2 is provided with means forcoupling said object 5 to said support element 2, the term “coupling”means that said object cannot come apart from said support elementwithout taking a specific action. Provision may be made for said objectto be coupled to the support element by a narrow passage inside saidfirst chamber, in such a manner as to prevent said object from escapingfrom said support element. Advantageously, provision may be made forsaid coupler means to also include breakable means making it possible torelease the object from the support element.

Said package also includes a second hollow protective element 4,referred to as a cover, that can be coupled to the stopper 3 byinterfitting with partial overlap, coming to cover the end 31 of saidstopper 3, which itself covers the support element 2 of the object 5.The stopper 3 and the cover 4 are interfitted with partial overlap insuch a manner as to define a second chamber 8 inside which the gripportion 20 of the support element 2 extends, and such that the end 30 ofthe stopper 3, remote from its end 31 of said stopper 3 that covers thesupport element 2, projects from the cover 4 such that said free endportion 30 of the stopper 3 forms a grip zone. The end 40 of the cover4, remote from the stopper 3, also forms a grip portion of the package,remote from the end 30 of the stopper.

Thus, each element of the package, namely the support element 2, thestopper 3, and the cover 4, presents a grip end 20, 30, 40 remote fromits opposite end that is interfitted with another element of thepackage. Said elements are interfitted in such a manner as to define achamber 7, 8 between two interfitted elements, preferably a chamber thatis sealed at least against bacteria. Thus, the interfitted elements ofthe package define two chambers 7, 8 of which one 7 is defined betweenthe stopper and the cover, inside which the object is housed, and whichcan only be accessed once open, the other chamber 8 serving to protectthe grip end 20 of the support element 2.

Such a design of the package makes it possible to handle it without anyrisk of contaminating the object contained in the presentation chamberand without having to let go of said object.

Specifically, the package held by the end 40 of the cover 4 by a firstperson in a dirty zone may be offered to a second person, also in adirty zone, who takes hold of the opposite end 30 of the package formedby the free end of the stopper 3. The second person pulls on the stopper3 in such a manner that the cover 4 remains in the hand of the firstperson, and this makes it possible to uncover a clean grip zone 20 ofthe support element 2, remote from the end 30 held by the second person.Specifically, the clean grip zone 20 of the support element 2 waspreviously housed in the chamber 7 defined between the cover 4 and thestopper 3. Then, said second person offers the remaining sub-package toa third person in a clean zone, who thus takes hold of the clean end 20of the support element 2 that projects from the stopper 3. As above, thethird person pulls on the support element 2 in such a manner as to keephold only of said support element 2 and the object coupled to saidsupport element. With the other hand, and by means of an appropriateinstrument, the same operator removes the object from its supportelement 2 as described below. In a variant, the first person and thesecond person may be the same person.

Preferably, the stopper 3 and the cover 4 are each formed by arespective elongate hollow body that is open at one end and closed atthe other end, i.e. a tube closed at one end. The design of each of theprotective elements in the form of an elongate body like a test tubemakes it possible to benefit from a safety distance between the grip end40 of the cover 4 and the grip end 30 of the stopper 3.

Such a distance between the grip ends 30, 40 of the package makes itpossible to limit the risk of contamination at the grip end 20 of thesupport element 2 that extends in the chamber 8, when said chamber 8 isopened by separating the cover 4 and the stopper 3. In addition, thedistance between the grip end 30 of the stopper 3 and the grip end 20 ofthe support element 2 makes it possible to limit the risk ofcontamination while the support element 2 is being passed to a sterile“clean” operator, who can thus take hold of the support element by itsfree end 20 at a distance from the potentially-contaminated end 30 ofthe stopper.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, the means 21 forcoupling the object to the support element comprise a deformable body21, referred to as a valve, presenting an orifice, preferably of ovalshape, that is capable of passing, by sideways deformation of said bodyrelative to the axis of said orifice, from a “retaining” configurationin which said orifice of the valve 21 presents a shape and/or dimensionsmaking it possible to clamp the object 5, to a “releasing” configurationin which said orifice presents a shape and/or dimensions making itpossible to release said object 5 relative to said orifice of the valve21.

In the relaxed state, the orifice of the valve 21 is naturally in theretaining position. Thus, for an orifice of shape that is oval orelliptical in its natural state, i.e. when relaxed, deforming saidorifice by pressing sideways on the opposite ends of the ellipse or theoval, deforms the oval or elliptical orifice into asubstantially-circular orifice of diameter that is greater than theminor diameter of the ellipse or oval, and this makes it possible torelease the object that is no longer pressed against the wall of theorifice. Naturally, the orifice of the valve is dimensioned so that inits non-deformed state, its minor diameter is less than the diameter ofthe object, but in its deformed state, its minor diameter is greaterthan said diameter of the object.

In another embodiment of the coupler means shown in FIG. 2, that findsan advantageous application for an object presenting an elongate body,said means 22, 23 for coupling the object to the support element includea deformable elongate body 22, referred to as a mandrel, along andinside which an orifice is formed for inserting the object.

Said means 22, 23 also include a bellows 23 that is threaded on themandrel 22 and that is capable of passing from a deployed position ofthe folds of the bellows, in which said bellows bears against themandrel 22 in such a manner as to clamp the insertion orifice around theobject 5, to a compressed position of said folds of the bellows, inwhich the bellows does not press against the mandrel 22 so that theorifice is unclamped and the object is free to move relative to theorifice.

When the mandrel is relaxed, the orifice of the mandrel 22 isdimensioned to present an opening that is large enough to receive theelongate body of the object, without damaging or rubbing against themandrel.

In the deployed configuration of the bellows along the mandrel, i.e. inthe free configuration of the folds of the bellows, said bellows bearsvia its top portion against the top portion of the mandrel, such thatthe inner wall of the orifice of the mandrel clamps on the body of theobject, at the opening for inserting the body in the mandrel.

In order to couple the object to the assembly formed of the mandrel andof the bellows, the bellows is compressed so as to relax the orifice ofthe mandrel in order to make it possible to insert the body of theobject into said orifice, then the bellows is released so that it bearsagainst the mandrel in such a manner as to clamp the orifice around thebody of said mandrel. The object is released by compressing the bellowsso that the orifice is no longer pressed around the object, and so as tomake it possible to remove it by means of an instrument.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, said support element 2 also includes atleast two arms 27 that are spaced apart from each other and that extendon either side and along the assembly formed of the mandrel 22 and ofthe bellows 23.

Said arms project from the support-element portion that is provided withcoupler means for coupling the object and they extend along the axis forinterfitting said support element with the stopper, in such a manner asto co-operate with the wall of the stopper for interfitting the stopperand the support element, with partial overlap.

In particular, the stopper 3 covers the arms 27 in such a manner thatthe arms make it possible to guide and stiffen the stopper andsupport-element assembly while protecting the bellows 23 relative to thestopper 3 so that said bellows are not deformed while the stopper isbeing closed or opened relative to the support element.

The space between the arms enables the operator to access the bellows soas to compress it in order to insert or release the object held in theorifice of the mandrel.

In another embodiment of the invention shown in. FIG. 4, the means 26for coupling the object to the support element present a configurationfor holding the object captive in a given orientation of said object,and a configuration for releasing said object by pivoting it. Provisionmay be made for the coupler means 26 to include a housing in which theobject is held by resilient clamping or by snap-fastening. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 4, the object is a cervical screw 7 having ahead 70 that is suitable for co-operating with the instrument 6 so as toenable the operator to pivot the body of the screw 7 in order to releaseit from the coupler means 26. In particular, the object is released bypivoting it about an axis that is orthogonal to the axis of the housingand that corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the object.

In particular embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thesupport element 2 and the means 24, 25; 26 for coupling the object tothe support element are configured to hold the object suspended throughsaid coupler means, in such a manner as to make it possible to see thelength of said object while said object is coupled to the supportelement 2.

To this end, the support element comprises a generally stem-shapedportion having a top portion that is fitted with coupler means, and thismakes it possible, for a screw-type object, to suspend said screw by itsbody at a height close to the screw head so that the screw is held inreliable manner on the support element, while enabling the operator tosee the length of the screw body.

Specifically, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the valve 25 ispositioned at the top portion of the stem. so that the object thatpasses through the valve may extend into the space left free between thevalve and the bottom portion of the stem. Thus, the length of the objectremains visible and the object may be held correctly.

For an object formed of a plurality of hinged-together portions, holdingthe object suspended also makes it possible to hold said object at saidhinge so as to secure it. This is the situation shown in FIG. 3 forwhich the object suspended through the valve is a “tulip” screw 5′having a head 50′ that is hinged to the body via a ball joint. Saidscrew may be engaged in the orifice of the valve until its head comesinto abutment against the edge of the orifice, and this makes itpossible to wedge the screw securely, without any risk of the body ofthe screw moving relative to its head.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, said elements 2, 3, 4 of thepackage are interfitted, with partial overlap, merely by friction, e.g.by elastic clamping or pressure. Such interfitting, with partialoverlap, merely by friction makes it possible to separate said elementsby one or both of the operators pulling on one element of the package innatural manner. It is also possible to envisage interfitting, withpartial overlap, by clipping.

In a variant, interfitting, with partial overlap, could be achieved byscrew-fastening. For screw-fastening, the thread and the tapping formedon the elements to be interfitted are configured in such a manner as toenable said elements to be screw-fastened together only once. Inparticular, provision may be made for the thread and/or the tapping todeform while screwing on and off, so that the two elements cannot bescrewed back together again.

Preferably, the chambers 7 and 8 are impermeable, at least to bacteria.Provision may also be made for them to be impermeable to any fluid. In avariant, provision may be made for one and/or the other of the chambers,and preferably at least the presentation chamber 7 for presenting theobject, to be permeable only to gas so as to enable the chamber (s) tobe sterilized with gas.

Thus, in a particular embodiment of the invention, provision may be madefor at least a portion of the wall of the stopper 3 that defines aportion of the presentation chamber 7 for presenting the object 5 to beformed of material that is permeable to gas but impermeable to bacteria,so as to enable the presentation chamber and the object, e.g. a medicalcomponent to be sterilized with gas, e.g. with ethylene oxide or steam.Such a design of the package makes it possible to sterilize thechamber(s) other than by using radiation.

Provision may thus be made for the stopper to be closed, at its endremote from the end that covers the support element in part, by amembrane that is adapted to sterilization by means of a gas.

Advantageously, said object 5 is coupled to the support element 2 insuch a manner that its grip end 50 is free and points away from the gripportion 20 of the support element 2 so that the grip zone faces theinstrument for gripping the object, and this makes it possible to gripthe object easily and rapidly.

The support element 2 and/or the stopper 3 and/or the cover 4 present(s)a portion, preferably formed by a membrane, that is impermeable tobacteria but permeable to gas so as to enable said first chamber 7and/or said second chamber 8 to be sterilized with gas.

The method of unpackaging an object contained in a package as describedabove is described below by means of FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C in the contextof passing a medical component to a “clean” operator, specifically thesurgeon in the operating block, via two other operators who are “dirty”,i.e. working in a potentially-contaminated environment.

The first operator takes hold of the complete package containing themedical component 5 via the free end 40 of the cover 4 by means of a“dirty” hand MS1. Said first operator thus offers the package to thesecond operator who takes hold of it via the free end 30 of the stopperby means of a hand MS2 that is also “dirty”. With each of the operatorsholding a respective end of the package in a respective hand, at leastone of the two pulls on the package so that the cover is separated fromthe stopper, while the stopper to which the support element of themedical component is coupled remains in the hand MS2 of the secondoperator. The distance between the ends 30 and 40 of the package makesit possible to reduce the risk of the support element being contaminatedwhen the chamber 8 is opened by separating the cover and the stopper. Asmentioned above, the first operator and the second operator may be thesame person.

The grip portion of the support element uncovered in this way remainsclean and may be presented to the third operator, namely the surgeon,who uses a “clean” hand MP1 to take hold of said clean end of thesupport element that is remote from the end 30 of the stopper held bythe hand MS2 of the second operator.

At least one of the second and third operators pulls on the sub-assemblyformed of the support element and of the stopper so that thepresentation chamber 7 for presenting the object opens by means of saidsupport element 2 held by the hand MP1 of the third operator separatingfrom the stopper 3 that remains in the hand MS2 of the second operator.

The third operator can then use the hand MP1 that is holding saidsupport element to deactivate the coupler means without letting go ofsaid support element, and can use the other hand MP2, a “clean hand, totake hold of the object via its free end 50 by means of an instrument 6in order to implant said object in the body of the patient.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the support element defines anopen cavity housing the object 5, which cavity is to be closed by thestopper 3.

In a variant embodiment that is not shown in the figures, said supportelement alone defines said first chamber containing said object. To thisend, said support element is formed of at least two parts that can becoupled and uncoupled relative to each other, preferably by interfittingwith partial overlap, so as to form said first chamber containing saidobject. In other words, one of the parts of said support element is forclosing the open cavity formed by the other part.

In this variant, said stopper is formed by a hollow body having a baseportion that includes coupler means for coupling to the support element.Advantageously, the coupler means are configured in such a manner as tomake it possible to couple the object to the part of the support elementthat forms the grip portion of said support element, i.e. the part ofthe support element that is not directly coupled to the stopper. Thestopper and the support element are interfitted by force-fitting an endportion of the support element in a corresponding hollow portion of thestopper. To this end, the hollow portion of the stopper presents lugsthat are to be flattened by the support element while said supportelement is being force-fitted in the stopper. Said lugs are distributedover the inner peripheral face of said stopper around the axis of thestopper.

In such a variant embodiment of the support element, the methoddescribed above may be adapted as follows. After the support element 2,held by a clean person, has been separated from the stopper 3, held by aperson who might be contaminated, provision may be made for the supportelement 2 that closes the object 5 to be put in a standby zone, whilesaid object 5 is waiting to be used. Then, said clean person, or anotherclean person, may open the first chamber 7 defined by said supportelement 2 by separating the two parts that form said support element,e.g. by unscrewing them, in order to take hold of said medicalcomponent.

Thus, the medical component has been neither touched nor let go ofduring its unpackaging. Furthermore, the chamber containing the medicalcomponent is opened only in a clean zone.

As a result of the cover that defines a protective chamber forprotecting the grip portion 20 of the support element 2, the cleanperson touches a clean portion of the package. Specifically, the dirtyportions of the package, namely the stopper 3 and the cover 4, remain inthe hands of the dirty person. Thus, the hand of the person who takeshold of the support element remains clean.

Preferably, the chambers 7 and 8 are impermeable, at least to bacteria.Provision may also be made for them. to be impermeable to any fluid. Ina variant, provision may be made for one and/or the other of thechambers, and preferably at least the presentation chamber 7 forpresenting the object, to be permeable only to gas so as to enable thechamber(s) to be sterilized with gas.

Thus, in a particular embodiment of the invention, provision may be madefor at least a portion of the wall of the stopper 3 that defines aportion of the presentation chamber 7 for presenting the object 5 to beformed of material that is permeable to gas but impermeable to bacteria,so as to enable the presentation chamber and the object, e.g. a medicalcomponent to be sterilized with gas, e.g. with ethylene oxide or steam.Such a design of the package makes it possible to sterilize thechamber(s) other than by using radiation.

In particular, provision may thus be made for the stopper to be closed,at its end remote from the end that covers the support element in part,by a membrane that is adapted to sterilization by means of gas.

What is claimed is:
 1. A package for an object, said package comprising:a support element provided with means for coupling said object to saidsupport element; a first hollow protective element, referred to as astopper, that can be coupled to the support element of said object, suchthat the support element presents a portion, referred to as a gripportion, that projects from said stopper; said support element, alone orin co-operation with the stopper, defining a first chamber containingsaid object; and a second hollow protective element, referred to as acover; wherein said cover can be coupled to the stopper, so as toco-operate with said stopper to define a second chamber inside whichsaid grip portion of the support element extends; and in that, while thecover is coupled to the stopper, a portion, referred to as a gripportion, of the stopper projects from the cover, and wherein the meansfor coupling the object to the support element includes a deformablebody, referred to as a valve, presenting an orifice, that is capable ofpassing, by deformation of said body, from a retaining configuration inwhich said orifice of the valve presents a shape and/or dimensionsmaking it possible to clamp the object, to a releasing configuration inwhich said orifice presents a shape and/or dimensions making it possibleto release said object relative to said orifice of the valve.
 2. Thepackage according to claim 1, wherein the stopper and the cover are eachformed by a respective elongate hollow body that is open at one end andclosed at the other end.
 3. The package according to claim 1, whereinthe support element and the means for coupling the object to the supportelement are configured to hold the object suspended through said couplermeans, in such a manner as to make it possible to see the length of saidobject while said object is coupled to the support element.
 4. Thepackage according to claim 1, wherein said support and protectiveelements of the package are interfitted, with partial overlap, byfriction and/or by screw-fastening.
 5. The package according to claim 1,wherein the support element alone defines said first chamber containingsaid object, and said support element is formed of at least two partsthat can be coupled and uncoupled relative to each other, so as to formsaid first chamber containing said object.
 6. The package according toclaim 1, wherein said support element co-operates with the stopper todefine said first chamber containing said object, said support elementdefining an open cavity that is to be closed by said stopper.
 7. Thepackage according to claim 1, wherein said stopper, and optionally thecover, present(s) at least one predefined location for positioning atleast one finger of a person.
 8. The package according to claim 1,wherein any one of the support element and/or the stopper and/or thecover present(s) a portion, that is impermeable to bacteria butpermeable to gas so as to enable said first chamber and/or said secondchamber to be sterilized with gas.
 9. A method of unpackaging asterilized object contained in a package constructed in accordance withclaim 1, said method comprising the steps of: a first person separatingthe cover from the stopper in such a manner as to uncover the supportelement; a second person distinct from said first person taking hold ofthe support element; separating said support element from the stopperwhile the stopper is being held by the first person; and releasing saidobject from the support element by deforming the valve to make it passfrom said retaining configuration to said releasing configuration.
 10. Amethod of unpackaging an object contained in a package constructed inaccordance with claim 5, said method comprising the steps of: firstperson separating the cover from the stopper in such a manner as touncover the support element; a second person distinct from said firstperson taking hold of the support element; separating said supportelement from the stopper while the stopper is being held by the firstperson; putting the support element that closes the object on standby ina standby zone, while said object is waiting to be used; and opening thefirst chamber defined by said support element in order to remove saidobject; releasing said object from the support element by deforming thevalve to make it pass from said retaining configuration to saidreleasing configuration.
 11. An assembly comprising an object and apackage according to claim 1, said package containing said objectcoupled to said support element, said object presenting an end forgripping; wherein in said assembly, said object is coupled to thesupport element in such a manner that its grip end is free and pointsaway from the grip portion of the support element.
 12. The packageaccording to claim 1, wherein said object is a sterilized medicalcomponent.
 13. The package according to claim 1, wherein said firsthollow protective element is coupled to the support element of saidobject by interfitting with partial overlap.
 14. The package accordingto claim 1, wherein said cover is coupled to the stopper by interfittingwith partial overlap.
 15. The package according to claim 1, wherein saidorifice of said deformable valve is oval shape.
 16. The packageaccording to claim 5, wherein said support element is formed of at leasttwo parts that can be coupled and uncoupled relative to each other byinterfitting with partial overlap.
 17. The package according to claim 8,wherein any one of the support element and/or the stopper and/or thecover present(s) a portion, formed by a membrane, that is impermeable tobacteria but permeable to gas.
 18. The method as claimed in claim 9,wherein said object contained in said package is a sterilized object.19. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said object contained insaid package is a sterilized object.
 20. The assembly as claimed inclaim 11, wherein said object is a sterilized medical component.
 21. Theassembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said object presents an endgripable by an instrument.